Menu Monday--Summertime :)

One of the best things about living in the South is the early summer we enjoy. While many are hoping to see the grass after months of snow, we are out grilling away basking in the sun. Granted, by mid-July we'd do anything for a little cool rain to escape the triple digits, we still love being able to spend most the year outside with our grill.

Grilling is a personal preference. We personally have a big ol' gas grill because I love the even cooking and pretty much brain dead cooking. A charcoal grill is a bit pickier but you have the option of adding smoked wood chips to add additional flavor. To make up for this, I sometimes cook my salmon on cedar planks. Cedar planks are one-time use and can really enhance the flavor of salmon but because of its price, I usually only do cedar planks for my favorite salmon of all, Copper River (and it is very close to being in season). Copper River is pricey so if I am going to bite the bullet and buy it, I might as well as add the few bucks for the planks. I strongly recommend buying cedar planks from a grocery store rather than a hardware type store. You are cooking food on it after all.

I also love doing veggies on the grill. For the bigger veggies that won't slip through, I like to brush them with olive oil and put them right on. Smaller ones can be mixed together with seasoning and olive oil, then wrapped up on the side corner of a grill to heat away.

So let's enjoy summer and dust off the grill!

Monday: Grilled Chicken (marinated in diced ginger, soy sauce, salt and pepper) placed on baby spinach with a nice crusty french bread

Tuesday: Stuffed Turkey Burgers with grilled asparagus

Wednesday: Wild Salmon (grilled) with various veggies (summer squash, zuccini, red bell pepper,  fresh thyme) wrapped in foil

Thursday: Grilled Eggplant over Linguini 

Friday: Roasted Salt and Pepper Shrimp with Savannah Rice (not the grill but summery ☺)

Saturday: Chicken Fajitas (chicken cooked over the grill)

Sunday: Bison Bacon Cheeseburger (horribly fattening but ya gotta have bacon every now and then !)

If you want even more yummy meals, be sure to check out Jen at Chive Talkin' for additional menu plans :)